Ben & Jerry’s CEO Jostein Solheim (left) and Friends of the Earth’s biotechnology policy campaigner Eric Hoffman (right) are ice creaming against this fishy business.Photo: Friends of the Earth via FlickrMost ice cream lovers probably wouldn’t line up for any flavor dubbed “Something’s Fishy.” That is, unless it were Ben & Jerry’s phamous Phish Food in political disguise.
Because Ben & Jerry’s cone not stand the thought of genetically engineered (GE) salmon — it fears GE cows will mooove in next — the company has taken an official stance against AquaBounty’s GE salmon currently being examined by the FDA. Last week, the ice cream makers co-hosted a protest rally outside the White House with nonprofits Friends of the Earth, Food and Water Watch, and Center for Food Safety. In addition to heaping helpings of political activism, the company also served a “protest batch” of the cleverly re-named frozen treat, “Something’s Fishy.” It’s “an outrageous flavor protesting genetically engineered salmon,” and it’s chocolatey, marshmallowy good.
Ben & Jerry’s activism doesn’t stop there, however. It’s still very visible on the company’s homepage, benjerry.com, where you can learn more about its concerns about genetically engineered food animals and play Dr. Frankenstein with the salmon swimming innocently across the page.
Even though the FDA’s public commenting period has ended, I still think a special-edition Free Cone Day featuring “Something’s Fishy” would really invigorate the cause. Right?
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